Stop over-development in Blackwattle Bay

Improving public access to Blackwattle Bay and the harbour foreshore should be a top planning priority for our local area.

But the NSW Government is proposing a massive residential and shopping development at the current site of the Sydney Fish Market that will monster the foreshore and limit public access to Blackwattle Bay forever.

The Blackwattle Bay ‘Revitalisation’ Plan will:

See up to 1,700 apartments built at the current Fish Market site without a plan for new schools, parks, critically needed social housing or basic infrastructure.
Mirror development patterns in the CBD rather than being inspired by Glebe and Pyrmont. Proposed 45 storey residential towers will be higher than the Anzac Bridge pylons.
Turn the waterfront into a glorified shopping precinct with private restaurants and businesses given prime foreshore positioning at the expense of public open space.
Bring traffic chaos, with an additional 6 million visitors per year in addition to the proposed 1,700 new dwellings but no significant plan for more public transport.
Privatise 70% of the site for apartments, offices and shops. The remaining 30% will be used for walk-ways, roads and a small portion of greenspace – most of which is actually under the Western Distributor in shade.

Instead of doing what is best for our community and the city, the government is trying to generate as much money as possible from this site to cover the ballooning $750 million cost of the Sydney Fish Market relocation.

The Blackwattle Bay ‘Revitalisation’ Plan is open for public consultation until Friday 19 June. Please make a submission to tell the government that our community wants a plan for this site that prioritises public access and greenspace not over-development.

A number of local community organisations are also opposed to this proposal including the Glebe Society, Pyrmont Action, Bays Community Coalition and Ultimo Village Voice – more info here.

Make a submission to protect Blackwattle Bay

To make a submission to Infrastructure NSW you can send a pre-filled message or customise the submission template.

Try and put the submission in your own words and include a unique subject line.

758 SUBMISSIONS

1,000

To INSW Blackwattle Bay,
I am writing to make an objection to the Blackwattle Bay Revitalisation Plan.
While it is clear that the Sydney Fish Markets need to be updated and the current site redeveloped, the scale of this proposal is enormous and not in keeping with local development patterns.
Our community wants a plan for this site that prioritises public access to the waterfront and greenspace not over-development. All three of the scenarios you have proposed will put overwhelming pressure on local roads, public transport, schools and existing infrastructure.
In particular, I’m concerned that your proposal would see:
High-density housing development will monster the foreshore and put pressure on infrastructure
This proposal would see up to 1,700 apartments built on the current Sydney Fish Market in 45 storey blocks. This mirrors development patterns in the CBD rather than being inspired by architecture and density in Glebe or Pyrmont. The residential towers will be higher than the Anzac Bridge pylons and will monster the foreshore.
Residential development at this scale will put overwhelming pressure on local schools, parks and basic infrastructure is already at capacity. In addition there is no plan for critically needed social housing.
Traffic and transport chaos
Once the new Sydney Fish Market is built, visitor numbers are expected to double to 6 million a year, in addition to the 1,700 new apartments now being proposed. The transport modelling that has been completed for the Fish Market does not account for the impact of the proposed residential development and there is no plan for major additional public transport beyond:
<ul>
<li>A single new on demand ferry stop with only 60 person capacity</li>
<li>Existing light rail whose services are already at capacity</li>
<li>New, undescribed bus routes</li>
<li>Proposed Sydney Metro West stop at White Bay over 30mins walk away</li>
</ul>
Bridge and Wentworth Park Roads are already congested and our community faces worsening local traffic congestion, public transport over-crowding and local parking stress if this proposal goes ahead.
Reduced public access to the foreshore
While residents may be able to walk along the foreshore on a narrow 10m wide path under this proposal, this walk won’t look anything like the existing naturalised Glebe foreshore. The waterfront will be transformed into a glorified shopping precinct with private restaurants and businesses given prime foreshore positioning at the expense of public access.
Lack of quality open greenspace 
This proposal would see 70% of this site dedicated to the private use of residents, offices and shops. The remaining 30% will be used for walk-ways, roads and a small portion of greenspace – most of which is actually under the Western Distributor in shade.
This is site is prime publically owned waterfront and should be redeveloped to increase public greenspace on the foreshore.
I don’t favour any of the three proposed scenarios. Instead I would urge you to reconsider the direction of plan to deliver a vision for this site that prioritises public access and greenspace not over-development.

STOP OVER-DEVELOPMENT IN BLACKWATTLE BAY

Make a submission to protect Blackwattle Bay